Visva Bharati Faces Encroachment Crisis— In a statement presented in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar revealed that over 62 acres of land belonging to Visva-Bharati University—India’s only central university founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore—are currently under illegal encroachment.
This revelation has triggered renewed concerns over the university’s diminishing control over its historical and ecologically sensitive campus, which spans over 1,100 acres across Santiniketan and Sriniketan in Birbhum district.
Visva Bharati Faces Encroachment Crisis: Decades of Encroachment and Neglect
According to the minister, illegal occupation of the university’s land has been ongoing since 1951, just after Visva-Bharati was declared a central university. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had earlier confirmed over 25 acres were illegally occupied between 1951 and 2004 alone. The situation has since worsened.
Despite multiple eviction notices and appeals from university authorities to the local administration and West Bengal government, little progress has been made. Encroachments have taken the form of unauthorized residential structures, commercial stalls, and encroached agricultural fields.
University officials state that attempts to reclaim the land have been “persistently ignored” by the local bodies, prompting federal authorities to highlight the issue at the national level.
Boundary Mapping and Infrastructure Steps Taken
In a bid to protect its territory, Visva-Bharati conducted a comprehensive land survey in 2007–08 and installed over 550 boundary pillars to demarcate its legally owned land. Later, a 30-kilometre-long perimeter wall was erected around the most vulnerable areas.
These steps, however, have not deterred further encroachment, especially in regions surrounding main thoroughfares, agricultural land, and the fringes of the academic and residential zones.
The Minister confirmed that eviction efforts have been stalled, as university officials have limited powers and must rely on the district magistrate and local police for enforcement.
Why Visva-Bharati Matters
Founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921, Visva-Bharati was envisioned as an institution that would seamlessly blend the pursuit of knowledge with nature, rural development, and artistic expression. It was declared a central university in 1951 and today remains a symbol of Tagore’s humanist philosophy.
The university is home to premier institutes like Kala Bhavana (Fine Arts), Cheena Bhavana (Chinese Studies), and Siksha Bhavana (Science and Humanities), attracting students and researchers from around the world.
Encroachment on this land threatens the university’s ability to maintain its open-air classrooms, agricultural farms, and forested spaces—all crucial to Tagore’s educational ideals.
Past Controversies and High-Profile Disputes
In recent years, Visva-Bharati has made headlines due to land ownership disputes involving eminent personalities. A notable example is the public spat with Amartya Sen, the Nobel laureate economist, over alleged encroachment on university land adjoining his ancestral home.
While Sen has contested the university’s claims, the controversy brought national attention to the ambiguities in land records and inconsistent enforcement by authorities.
The current encroachment tally suggests a systemic failure in land management and legal recourse, affecting not just common settlers but also respected figures.
Legal and Policy Roadblocks
Despite being a central university, Visva-Bharati must rely on state mechanisms for land protection. Under current law:
- University officials cannot evict encroachers unilaterally.
- They must file requests through the District Magistrate’s office, a process that is both slow and often politically fraught.
- In some cases, adverse possession laws complicate eviction efforts, especially where families have lived for decades on university land.
Legal scholars and urban planners have called for a special tribunal or fast-track mechanism to address such institutional encroachments at heritage sites.
Looking Ahead: What Needs to Be Done
Experts and activists are urging both the state and central governments to act swiftly. Suggested measures include:
- Drone and satellite mapping to track real-time encroachments.
- Public land registers for transparent ownership and accountability.
- Involvement of the Archaeological Survey of India or heritage bodies to protect historical parts of the campus.
- Community engagement programs to sensitise local populations about the cultural significance of Visva-Bharati land.
Policy analysts warn that failure to address this issue could result in permanent loss of heritage land and a sharp decline in institutional autonomy.
Conclusion
The encroachment of over 62 acres of land at Visva-Bharati is not just an administrative concern—it is a matter of national cultural heritage. It threatens the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, erodes the university’s teaching environment, and reflects deeper failures in governance, land policy, and institutional support.
As the central government raises the issue in Parliament, it remains to be seen whether concrete action will follow—especially from the state machinery. Visva-Bharati’s integrity, and the idea it represents, may depend on it.
External References
- Lok Sabha Proceedings (July 2025) – https://loksabha.nic.in
- CAG Audit Reports on Central Universities – https://cag.gov.in
- Visva-Bharati University Official Website – https://visvabharati.ac.in
- Amartya Sen Land Dispute Reporting – https://www.reuters.com/world/india/visva-bharati-amartya-sen-dispute
- Heritage Preservation Guidelines by ASI – https://asi.nic.in/ancient-monuments-act
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